Got some starlings driving you nuts?
While the European starling is a beautiful bird, they can easily become pests. Since they have a tendency to flock in large numbers, they can easily cause damage to your property.
Do you need some help with how to get rid of starlings? Check out the list below.
Remove Any Food Sources
If starlings are hanging around, there are likely a few food sources nearby. If you have things like fruit bearing trees or shrubs, you should either remove these or cover them up with netting.
Also, be sure to remove any outdoor pet food or compost heaps, as this could also attract flocks of starlings.
Prune Your Trees
Are you suffering from an European starling invasion? Well, starlings love to roost in trees.
Prune your trees to make the branches less dense. This will discourage flocks of starlings from gathering, as they will feel more exposed and less comfortable.
This strategy is more effective on large flocks of starlings. If you’re only dealing with a small number of birds, you might want to try a different strategy.
Eliminate Places They Can Nest
You can make an area significantly less attractive to starlings by restricting the areas they might be able to make nests in. Starlings need an entrance hole of around 1.5 inches in diameter.
You should search for any nooks and crannies where a starling might be able to use as a nest and fill in the opening.
Install an Electric Track
Installing an electrified track is a great way to encourage starlings to move on.
The track is laid along surfaces the starlings are likely to land on. The track will administer a light electric shock on contact.
The shock is not strong enough that it is dangerous to the birds. But it’s enough for them to remember it and stay away.
FrightKites
Another great deterrent method is a FrightKite. FrightKites are kites made to resemble birds of prey.
To starlings, these kites are indistinguishable from the real thing. If you’re looking for a humane and effective way to control your starling problem, consider ordering a FrightKite. These kites have been used effectively in a variety of settings.
Repel Them With Sound
Repelling starlings with sound is often quite effective. You could try playing recordings of predator birds.
It doesn’t always need to be this sophisticated. Any loud noise should be enough to scare starlings away.
How to Get Rid of Starlings With Traps
If you have tried every other method, but still have starlings around, you might need to consider a more extreme option.
Compared with other options, setting up traps is a time-consuming process. Also, know that traps are not a viable solution on their own. If you remove starlings via traps, you have not eliminated the conditions that attracted them in the first place.
Therefore, traps should only be used in combination with other deterrent methods.
Want to know more about how to get rid of starlings using FrightKites? Check out our product page!